Sick in Korea part 2 - What's up Doc?

I found out why people here do NOT take sick days.  It is because their doctor visits are very brief and frequent, low-impact events.  You know, how back home if you are a “walk-in” to the doctor’s office, you will die from natural causes before they call your name? Well, both of my doc visits this week have lasted less than 15 minutes each, from the time I walked in, waited, saw the doctor and walked out. No lie.  They have no magazines because you will not have time to read it. The nurse acts as a movie usher, once the doc diagnoses you, she takes your elbow (gently) and walks you out while ushering in the next patient. 

Teachers are part of the national health insurance in South Korea (monthly paycheck deductions) so the co-pay is generally $4,000 Korean Won ($4 US bucks). My medicine cost less than $5000 won each time.  Each clinic/doc office has a pharmacy either next door or downstairs for convenience. The pharmacy wait was less than the entire doctor visit. The total time was less than 30 minutes. 

OK, that is the good part. LOL.

The part that makes me scratch my head is… the unlabeled prescription medicine.  The doc says what is wrong with you. The pharmacist gives you the drugs in little clear, square bags that have the name of the pharmacy and the phone # and nothing else. I was lucky that one of my pills clearly said TYLENOL, lol. The others? No idea. The first time I went to the doc, I had a high fever and could barely think straight so I took whatever they gave me. Yes, I paused! But only for a moment.  Most of us teachers have signed legal documents for the bank, immigration, apt complex and phone company that have all been written in Korean.  No one is going to translate an entire document for you, believe me.  So the first time, I took the unlabeled pills and prayed. The second doc visit, my fever was gone and I insisted on getting the names of the prescription.  

The doctor was pissed and yelled at my co-teacher over the phone, but I did not budge. So...he gave me the names of the drugs…in Korean. 
Touche`.